If I'm Late on Fridays, Blame It on the Reader

The Reader is back.  After a few years of being put to bed, following several years of success under direction of now Boise Weekly editor Zach Hagadone and former Sandpoint City Council member John Reuter, The Reader has been revived.

Ben Olson contributed extensively to the earlier verson of the free weekly newspaper, which featured opinion, arts and culture and extensive feature stories.  The paper also offered an alternative voice to local, regional and national issues.

Now Ben has assembled a staff.  I think it's one---Connor Rasmussen, former Daily Bee reporter, and he's working in concert with Keokee Publishing and KRFY Radio Station 88.5.

A while back I listened to Ben on KRFY talking about his vision and encouraging writers to contribute to the publication.

Plus, the first issue has a lot of Zach Hagadone ink, including Zach's report on the President visiting Boise.  I think Zach also posted a photo of his official press pass for Wednesday's Presidential visit.

Anyway, this morning I read the first issue of the brand new era for The Reader and learned about some art events as well as the owners and the philosophy of the Neighborhood Pub, which opened in the fall down there, kitty corner from the Hydra.  It used to be a Mediterranean Restaurant, but the owners felt like its newest edition better reflects their lifestyle.

Plus, it sounds like some fun dishes are being served, although if I go there, I'll ask them  to hold the onions on my pork sausage-patty sandwich.

So, in late January, Sandpoint has a new old perspective hitting the streets.  And, in January, anything new makes the month move by more quickly.

Good luck to  Ben, Connor and The Reader in this second chapter as another local voice.

Again, if I'm late posting on Friday mornings, it's probably because I have three newspapers to read rather than two.  That would be along with my SPAM recipes and nostalgic reflections (published by Annie Love, classmate of Zach Hagadone) of Ireland.

And, speaking of Ireland . . . .

That's Hailey in the top picture, taken in 2012.  That's her mom Peg in the bottom picture, taken Wednesday in Boise.

Let me tell you about these ladies.  They're from Sandpoint.  They have cousins in Killarney.  When Annie and I were in Killarney a few years back, someone related to Hailey left a business card with a note on the back at our hotel.

Well, I've mentioned before that, as a teacher of 4,500 students over the years, I couldn't quite figure out what Hailey it happened to be.

Just weeks before our trip, I had seen Haley from down the road.  Since she had recently taken a trip to Ireland, we talked about her experiences.

So, I naturally assumed this person who left the card must be her cousin.  Turns out that was a bad assumption.  Later, Hailey (not Haley) wrote me a note about St. Mary's Cathedral in Killarney, how she'd been there.

Okay, I finally had the right Hailey, but we left Killarney before I knew that and after we would have any time to contact the business card person.

Fast forward a few years.  We went back to Ireland last March, precisely one day after Peg, in the bottom picture, had come home from spending three weeks in Killarney, being hosted by the business card man, Cousin Patrick.

Well, during our stay in Killarney, we finally met the business card man, Cousin Patrick, and he went out of his way to show us around, even arranging a day of fly fishing on a farmer's stream for Willie and Bill on Willie's 37th birthday.

We had lots of fun with Patrick, and, of course, when we returned to Sandpoint, we reported to Peg about our trip.

We've known her and a lot of her friends for years.  I'd say they're definitely an Irish lot, and they're all like family.

So, when I saw this photo of Cousin Patrick's cousins meeting the President on separate occasions, I couldn't resist posting it.  

They do have a family member who does some advance work for the President, which led to Peg's meeting with Mr. Obama in Boise.  I heard there was also a Presidential kiss on the cheek.

Oh, the luck o' the Irish!

And, how 'bout those ZAGS!!!!  Great victory last night!

Happy Friday.